Sorrento is one of the most picturesque towns to see in the south of Italy. So if you plan to visit Naples and the Amalfi Coast, we recommend the dedicate, at least, one day in Sorrento. With only 18,000 inhabitants, it is one of the main tourist destinations in the country for its magnificent views of Vesuvius and for well-kept treasures. In this post we tell you the best things to see in Sorrento.
On this map you will find marked the best things to see in Sorrento.
BEST THINGS TO SEE IN SORRENTO
Cloister and Church of San Francesco
The convent complex of San Francesco d’Assisi consisting of the church, the cloister and the monastery. In the fourteenth century, the Franciscan friars had a church built on the site of the ancient oratory founded by Sant’Antonino, which was later modified in the Baroque style.
The fourteenth-century cloister with its arched structure is noteworthy, a harmonious fusion of different styles due to the restorations of the various eras, with picturesque placement of plants and flowers. In addition to its beauty, the cloister is famous for hosting art exhibitions as well as musical events of the Sorrento summer.
Villa Comunale
Located at the end of Via San Francesco is a public park that offers spectacular views over Marina Piccola. Next to the park is the Chiostro di San Francesco, another must see in Sorrento. In addition, it is one of the main viewpoints of Sorrento so the balcony from where the photographs are taken is usually quite crowded.
There is a bar where you can take a “Gelato” or an “aperitivo”, I recommend the sunset time, to enjoy beautiful colors and an incredible romantic views.
Duomo di Sorrento
The cathedral dedicated to Saints Philip and James has undergone various restorations that have completely changed its appearance, until the facade was rebuilt in 1924.
The interior has a Latin cross and three naves, the ceilings are decorated with Baroque paintings by Oronzo and Nicola Malinconio and Giacomo del Po, and preserves works of great value. In the first chapel, in addition to the baptistery in which Torquato Tasso was baptized, there is a magnificent marble relief of the Redeemer from 1522 framed by twelve fourteenth-century panels.
A few meters from the Duomo, on Corso Italia, stands the red five-storey bell tower. The base part and the first three floors probably date back to the 11th century, while the upper part with the ceramic clock was built in the 18th century.
Piazza Tasso
Piazza Tasso is the main square of Sorrento, the heart of the city life. Named after the most illustrious citizen of Sorrento, Torquato Tasso, to whom a monument by the sculptor Gennaro Calì is also dedicated, the square is adorned with the statue of Sant’Antonino Abate, patron saint of the city. Among the buildings surrounding the square, the Correale house with a beautiful tiled courtyard (southern side), the church of Santa Maria del Carmine with its rich Baroque facade and the elegant Grand Hotel Vittoria (north side) stand out.
Along the north side, a terrace overlooks a narrow tufaceous gorge crossed by a road that leads to the Marina Piccola.
Deep Valley of the Mills in Sorrento
“The Vallone dei Mulini” in Sorrento is a place of great natural beauty. The formation of this deep fissure in the rock dates back to about 35,000 years ago.
The valley owes its origin to the most violent eruption in the history of the Phlegraean Fields and to the subsequent processes of erosion by the waters that progressively engraved the tuff base. That of the Mills is the best preserved valley in the Peninsula (there are four others), although today, unfortunately, only the central part that extends from Piazza Tasso to the Villa La Rupe and from here to the Porta degli Anastasi can be admired.
The Vallone owes its name to the presence of a mill, of which the ruins are visible, used until the early 1900s to grind wheat. In addition to the mill, historical and artistic testimonies also tell of the presence inside of a sawmill and a public wash house. The construction of Piazza Tasso (1866) decreed the end of the activities in the valley. The filling of the terminal part of the valley with the consequent isolation of the area from the sea, caused a sudden increase in the humidity rate which made the area unlivable. The particular microclimate instead favored the development of a luxuriant herbaceous and arboreal vegetation.
Marina Grande and Marina Piccola in Sorrento
A picturesque seaside village which can be accessed via a narrow stone steps road and crossing the ancient Greek gate, Marina Grande retains the charm of the fishing village it once was with its colorful houses, boats and nets pulled on the shore.
The village, made famous by the film with Vittorio De Sica and Sofia Loren “Bread, Love, and …”, offers characteristic cafes, restaurants and bathing establishments. Nothing remains, however, of the shipyards that in the past built the famous “gozzi Sorrentini”, wooden rowing and sailing boats, suitable for fishing. On July 26 in the marina, Saint Anna is celebrated, protector of the village, to whom the church is dedicated.
Marina Piccola is the port of Sorrento, an important landing place for ferries and hydrofoils, located not far from the central Piazza Tasso. The port, located in a beautiful inlet, was once called Marina di Capo Cervo from the name of the promontory that overlooks it. The works for its construction (1912) transformed the original appearance of the place that survives only in the small chapel dedicated to Santa Maria de Soccorso and the souls in Purgatory. On the side of the port there are bathing establishments which, due to the small size of the beach, are often built on stilts over the water.
Walking Tour 4k Sorrento – Italy 2021
Here you can wacth our walking tour in 4k, hope you enjoy it!
Where to stay in Sorrento
On our last visit to Sorrento, we stay in the Continental Hotel, a 4 stars hotel with an wonderful sea view.
You can book here.